


Coddling

by UpsetLettuce



Series: All of life's wonders [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: ??? - Freeform, Angst, Arguing, But also angry, Byleth just loves his husband ok, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay, Kinda, Linhardt loves him back, M/M, Maybe haven't even done it lmao, Mention of blood, Post-Timeskip (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Wounds, i suck at tags srry, like ALOT, loving arguing, this porbably isn't accurate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 00:57:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20183596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UpsetLettuce/pseuds/UpsetLettuce
Summary: Byleth just wants to take care of his husband and Linhardt just wants to get the truth out of his husband.





	Coddling

Byleth nudged the door open with his foot as he helped Linhardt to the small cot in the corner of the room. The inn Byleth had chosen was meant to hold no more than one person per room but the man didn’t care, he simply wanted to get his husband in a spot so he could care for his wounds. Linhardt had insisted he could make it a few more miles to a better inn but the other refused, simply marched in with the scholar digging his heels as he was forced. The former professor sat Linhardt down gently on the beat-up cot, placing their bags in the other corner, grabbing a rag, water, and a stitching kit before walking back over to his grumbling husband. “Let me see it.” Byleth noticed Linhardt glare at him, shaking his head and shuffling to the top of the cot. “Not until we get out of here and to a different inn.” Byleth signed tiredly, rubbing his eyes with his free hand before dropping it and sitting on the opposite side of the cot. There was a stiff tension in the air between the two men, both with tempers high and exhaustion running through their bones. Byleth stared down at his hands, thinking of a way to convince his husband to allow him to help when a groan of annoyance caught his attention.

“Fine.”

Byleth looked up and saw that Linhardt turned away from him, pulling his long hair out of the way of the gash that drew down the left side of his back. A pegasus lancer had managed to surprise him from overhead, swooping down a giving him the wound that now decorated his back. The former professor ran a gentle finger down it, most of the blood had dried besides two or three spots which wept slowly. “Did you use a spell?” A question with an obvious answer but Byleth needed something to fill the silence or else his brain would start to overthink. “Of course, simple healing spell. I couldn’t complete it, some mercenaries needs my help.” Another tired sigh left Byleth at the remark, he hated when the scholar would ignore himself to take care of others but it was a disagreement that went both ways, so he kept it to himself. The former professor gave the wound one more look before picking up the rag and water from the cot. He murmured a quiet warming spell to the water before pouring it on the rag, discarding the bottle and adjusting himself to begin cleaning his husband’s back.

Linhardt flinched at the initial contact of the rag, Byeth muttered an apology and placing a soft kiss on his shoulder before he slowly and carefully began washing the blood away. They sat in silence for more than a few minutes, the former professor could tell his husband was getting anxious, constant shifting and huffs coming from him. Right when he was around halfway done did the scholar speak up.

“Why do you coddle me?”

The other paused for a moment. His eyebrows furied at the question but he quickly went back to his slow administrations. “What do you mean?” Linhardt let out an annoyed huff, shifting his head to look back at the other who just ignored it and focused on cleaning the wound. “What you’re doing now, the slow and gentle. You do realize that I am not a child, yes?” Once again, Byleth paused, finally looking up to meet Linhardt’s eyes.

“You’re my husband.”

The scholar let out a small chuckle at that and the other couldn’t help but smile at his reaction. Linhardt looked forward again, the tension between the two, while not disappearing entirely, relieve just a little. “Yes, yes. I know that but, you know I can take care of myself. I don’t need you to care for me like a fragile vase.” Byleth finished up with the last wipe before setting the blood-stained cloth on the ground and grabbing the medkit. He pulled a potion along with a needle and thread to close anything the potion could not. He went to grab another rag and sat back down, ready to begin but a warm hand stopped his. He looked at Linhardt again who had twisted around, straining his would but looking at him with concern. “You do know I can take care of myself, right?” Byleth blinked slowly, biting the inside of his cheek to ground himself but he eventually broke under the gaze and looked down, sighing out of his nose. “You don’t?” The former professor shook his head, Linhardt’s hands grabbed his face and gently pulled it up. The scholar was now fulling facing him, eyes full of worry. “Then what is it?” Byleth stared back, mapping out the face of his husband before laying his hands on top of the other’s.

“I’m afraid," Linhardt's face fruit at that response, he opened his mouth to speak but the other cut him off. "I’ve seen such terrible things happen to you before. Things I let happen because of my carelessness,” Byleth felt frustration begin to bubble in his throat, a lump starting to form. He hadn’t felt it since his father died and he knew it was what happened when people cried so he tried to swallow against it to avoid worrying Linhardt even more. “I’m so scared that one day I’ll make a mistake and won’t be able to save you. I…” The ex-professor pulled his face away from his husband’s, not being able to look him in the eyes anymore but kept a hold on his hands.

“I won’t be able to live on without you.”

The hands in his grasped tensed, Byleth glanced up at the other. Tears were beginning to stream down his face and the other was quick to sit back up and brush them away. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. I don’t doubt you, I love you so much. I’m sorry, you are capable of this Linhardt I’m just a fool. Please forgive me, I love you. I-”

“Shut up.”

Byleth pulled his hands away with a start, he had never heard that from his husband before. Confusingly, the scholar pulled him into a hug, quiet sobs were coming from him as he pressed his face into Byleth’s shoulder. “Do not apologize for your worries. The words you've said are the same I feel every day when I see you fighting,” Linhardt pulled away and forced their eyes to meet, the ex-professor trying his best to hold eye contact. “I am so afraid of losing you, since we have an agreement that I will allow you to do your coddling, only on one condition.” Byleth nodded quickly, allowing his hand to cup his husband’s cheek. “Of course, anything.” There was a smile that fell onto Linhardt’s lips which caused the tension in the other’s shoulders to drop on their own accord.

“I am allowed to coddle you as well.” The ex-professor stared for a minute before a laugh burst its way through, starling his husband at the uncommonly loud laugh from Byleth. However, the scholar was quick to join in, nuzzling his face his the other’s shoulder once more. The laughing died down slowly, each still giving a small burst of giggles here and there before Byleth placed a kiss to the other’s forehead. “Of course you can coddle me.” Linhardt flashed a smile up at his husband, the ex-professor felt his cheeks warm at it before his husband pulled away from him and turned around.

“Well, you’d have better get back to coddling. This wound won’t coddle itself.” Byleth playfully rolled his eyes, grabbed the forgotten rag and such before returning his attention to his husband’s back.

\---

  
The knock was soft against the inn door but enough for Byleth to stir from his sleep. Linhardt was basically over his entire body, chest laying on his and the man was sleeping soundly. Another knock came and this time the ex-professor went to go check on it. He was able to maneuver his way out from underneath his husband, only getting an unhappy groan from him but he didn’t wake. Byleth made his way towards the door, avoiding the scattered armor and clothes the two had left behind. He cracked the door a few inches, being greeted by one of his soldiers.

“What is it?”

“A letter sir, from the Holy Kingdom.”

The ex-professor signed, he knew what this was about. He opened the door a little more, grabbing the letter from the night before bidding him goodnight and closing the door slowly. He eyed over at his husband, still sound asleep and now taking up the entirety of the small cot. Byleth made his way over to the window on the other side of the room, the moonlight being his only way to read the contents of the letter.

He looked the scroll over before opening it. The kingdom’s seal holding it tight, as well as a blue ribbon lovingly, adore on the paper, along with a gorgeous blue father that dangly dantly. The man took a deep breath before pulling the seal away and unfurling the letter, eyes straining to read the blue, cursive ink.

_My beloved Professor,_

_It had been too long since I have seen you. I ache each day knowing you are out there somewhere, in harm's way and I have been stuck in this castle unknowing of your condition. I wish to see you again as soon as possible, just to know you still live but I have no ducts. You are forever strong one Byleth and I hope we can make it to the kingdom. I long to see you once more so we may discuss the future between you and I. There are not enough words to write that could express my feelings so I wish to tell you in person._

_Awaiting your response,_

_King Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd_

Byleth read the letter three times before rolling it back up, sighing as he leaned against the window seal. Of course, Dimitri wanted to see him again, they shared so much before and during the war, it was only natural. The ex-professor knew he couldn't refuse, that would send a terrible image to the king but he knew he couldn’t just lie to him about what had happened.

“Who’s it from?”

The man looked over at his now awake husband, his long hair covering a side of his face and bandages Blyeth had applied as he rose up from the cot, yawning after he asked the question. “Dimitri.” That caused Linhardt to look up quickly at the other, shifting slightly before throwing his legs over the cot to sit properly. “May I?” He held his hand out and gestured towards the letter which the other willingly gave him before sitting next to the scholar.

Linhardt was swift in his reading, Byleth watching his eyes quickly read through the short letter. The man placed the letter on his lap when he was finished, his free hand rubbing along the hand holding it. “Are you going to see him?” The ex-professor signed again, placing a hand on his husband’s and placing his head on the scholar’s shoulder. “I have to Linhardt, you know that.” He nodded sadly before placing his head on Byleth’s. “I want to come with.” He wanted that too but knew how the king would react to bringing in an imperial, even if he fought at Byleth’s side. He gently shook his head before pulled away and facing his husband fully. “Dimitri would have you killed, I won’t let that happen. I need to go alone.” Linhardt’s eyes drifted away, hands becoming clammy and shoulders starting to tense. “Yes but what if he tried to-” “I won’t let him.” Byleth pulled his husband into a hug, he felt the other’s arms wrap around him. “I won’t leave you, Linhardt. Not for him nor anyone. ``I love you.” He felt rather than saw the nod from the other and felt a soft kiss against his shoulder. “I know, I love you too.” The ex-professor returned a kiss to the top of his head before pulled away enough to see his husband. “Let’s not think about it anymore. Let us just be in the moment together. I will deal with it in the morning.” Linhardt nodded before pulling his husband into a deep kiss, guiding him so they would both be laying in the cot. Before he realized it, Byleth found him laying down with the scholar straddling him. His husband pulled away slightly before flashing a mischievous grin.

“How about I give you something to think about on the ride there, just to make sure you don’t forget what will be waiting for you?”

The ex-professor smiled fondly before running his hands down the legs of his lover. “I will never forget you but I won’t object to whatever you deem is ‘unforgettable’.” Linhardt rolled his eyes before leaning down to kiss his husband once again.

**Author's Note:**

> Kinda a background to Byleth and Linhardt in my other story which you don't gotta read but it'd be kinda cool if ya did just saying...


End file.
